Can we just call it 27.5?

Hey all, after riding a sweet proto 27.5er the other day, and having owned a 5" travel 29er for a whole 3 weeks i'm really looking foreward to a mid sized wheelset on a 160ish travel do it all trailbike.

I'm in a shop all day trying to explain what the heck 650b is and why. Can we just come up with a catchy name for it?

I've been in this gig for 20 years now and i honestly don't know what 650b is. I did sell 26x1 3/8 and 27x1 1/4 Schwinns back in the day though

I see Enve, Intense, Schwalbe and others are trying to use "27.5" Unless someone has a better name i'd say lets go with it.

I'm going to start a bike brand called Sevener Because it just rolls off the tongue! Not.

I see 700 as a cyclocross tire, not a road tire where it is commonly used. Your point isn't much of one.

5 years of so we've referred to it as 650b, and now we change because some people don't get it? Mountain bike was a brand name just like Kleenex and it stuck to an entire activity, mountains or not. Why not just let 650b, be.

...not sure what the OP has been doing for 20 yrs and not know about standard wheel sizes....You are not going to find many if any shops that are in this realm yet, they are dependent on the industry. You can make your own 6" travel 650B bike today, I am on my third build in that category. Weyless 67, Jamis XAM2, now Santacruz Butcher.

I would love to see the chart, or the history of 700c, 650a,b, and xyz as well.

I see 700, 584 and 698, where is 650? 584 + a road tire? My point exactly.

650b is really old, something like 50-60 years. It was use in Europe for touring bikes so the the size comes from the rim diameter plus a larger touring tire. The rim size made a bit of a comeback in the late 80s/early 90s in the form of custom road bikes for small riders, women in particular. I don't know the exact dates but you get the general idea.

Only two infinite things exist: the universe and stupidity. And, I am unsure of the universe
- Albert Einstein

I prefer 650B over 27.5, It sounds a lot better to me. Funny thing is I can't quantify that opinion really.
I think maybe it was introduced to me by that name way back when and anything else just sounds wrong.

It would make much more sense to describe wheels with the rim size, because the tire diameter fluctucates so much due to tire size. 559mm, 584mm, and 622mm. Or even rounding to 56cm, 58cm, and 62cm. It may be too late for that.

I think 27.5" is stupid. Doesn't sound good, and makes people think that the rim size exactly splits the difference between 26" + 29", when it is really much closer to 26".

It would make much more sense to describe wheels with the rim size, because the tire diameter fluctucates so much due to tire size. 559mm, 584mm, and 622mm. Or even rounding to 56cm, 58cm, and 62cm. It may be too late for that.

I think 27.5" is stupid. Doesn't sound good, and makes people think that the rim size exactly splits the difference between 26" + 29", when it is really much closer to 26".

MUCH closer?

559
584 (+25mm/4.5%)
622 (+38mm/6.5 %)

I guess we need to switch to 650A (590mm BSD) to use 27.5"?

Much like everything else 650b, its going to be the manufacturers that set the terms here, and 27.5 seems to be gaining traction from what I see.

27.5" is easier to explain to the customer that doesn't have any idea what 650b is (26", 27.5", 29" makes more sense thatn 26", 650B, 29").

It also prevents confusion with 650C (571mm BSD). 700c works because 700a, b, and d are all practically obsolete. 700B (635 BSD) tires are out there, but everyone calls them 28".

Eh, my point is that 26" and 29 wheels are not actually 26/29 in diameter. Totally depends on tire size. 26 X 1.9 < 2.2 < 2.5 < 3.0
So why not label the rim size, and the tire size, and then everything is accurate.

If you must use some arbitrary inch size that is not accurate, 26", 27", 29" is closer.

Eh, my point is that 26" and 29 wheels are not actually 26/29 in diameter. Totally depends on tire size. 26 X 1.9 < 2.2 < 2.5 < 3.0
So why not label the rim size, and the tire size, and then everything is accurate.

If you must use some arbitrary inch size that is not accurate, 26", 27", 29" is closer.

So your suggestion is to call 650b 27"? That would certainly clear everything right up.

So your suggestion is to come up with a completely new system altogether? Even better....

There are good arguments on both sides of 650b/27.5"

There is no good argument for 27" or 58cm.

26" and 29" are simply rough approximations. But they're rough approximations that everyone already understands. If you want to overthrow the system, don't come up with an equally dumb system (58cm??? seriously?).

What? That is the BSD, rounded to CM. It accurately describes the size, is a measurement that is already used (though not marketed). This would also continue to move the bike industry toward complete use of the metric system.

I'm wondering what year in the distant (or not so distant) future the 650a (590 BSD) movement will happen.

Kirk Pacenti mentioned he considered going the 650a route, but ultimately went with 650b for various reasons.
I'm thinking he went with 650b because 650a sounds too Canadian.

How about we use a secret lingo code name for 650b, named after the county that uses area code 650, which is San Mateo County, which also happens to be where Tom Ritchey resides, which also happens to be where Ritchey built 650b mountain bikes in the late 70s or early 80s, before the Russian army bought up the Hakka tire supply. And now, Ritchey is working on his own 650b tires and wheels, so things are coming full-circle..... just like a wheel.

So, how 'bout we start calling them San Mateos?

Or how about b'ers (pronounced beers)?

Also, 2013 will be a rather banner year for 650b, and if you squish the 1 and the 3 close together, it looks like a B? So, there's been twenty-sixers, twenty-niners, and now twenty-B'ers (20B / 2013). Twenty beers? That's a lot of beers, eh? That reminds me of the time that I found a mouse in a bottle of beer, eh?
So, maybe they could also be referred to as 20B. Or 65013.

27 makes me think of 27 x 1-1/4 tires, and what do we think of when we think of those: mounting cheap a** wire bead gumwalls on to cheap a** 40 year old steel rims that feel like they're gonna buckle on you while you're trying to seat the bead. The guys at work refer to my bike as "the B bike", but I prefer 650b. Why try to fit it into other wheel sizes format? Stand apart.

I spoke with a Specialized sales rep last week and he said they might have a tire next year, and the soonest they'll have a bike is 2014 or 2015. He said they wished they hadn't continued with many of their current 26ers, and they wished they had pursued 650b for those equivalent models instead.

To ride this trail is completely free.
Just show me a triangle..... make it three!

What? That is the BSD, rounded to CM. It accurately describes the size, is a measurement that is already used (though not marketed). This would also continue to move the bike industry toward complete use of the metric system.

I'm wondering what year in the distant (or not so distant) future the 650a (590 BSD) movement will happen.

Kirk Pacenti mentioned he considered going the 650a route, but ultimately went with 650b for various reasons.
I'm thinking he went with 650b because 650a sounds too Canadian.

How about we use a secret lingo code name for 650b, named after the county that uses area code 650, which is San Mateo County, which also happens to be where Tom Ritchey resides, which also happens to be where Ritchey built 650b mountain bikes in the late 70s or early 80s, before the Russian army bought up the Hakka tire supply. And now, Ritchey is working on his own 650b tires and wheels, so things are coming full-circle..... just like a wheel.

So, how 'bout we start calling them San Mateos?

Or how about b'ers (pronounced beers)?

Also, 2013 will be a rather banner year for 650b, and if you squish the 1 and the 3 close together, it looks like a B? So, there's been twenty-sixers, twenty-niners, and now twenty-B'ers (20B / 2013). Twenty beers? That's a lot of beers, eh? That reminds me of the time that I found a mouse in a bottle of beer, eh?
So, maybe they could also be referred to as 20B. Or 65013.

Of course I am familiar with 27" 10 speed wheels. You do realize there a 26X 1 3/8 wheel, that are completely different than 26X 1 1/4", that are completely different than 26"X1.5" mtb wheels? You do realize there are 650c rims that are different than 650b? Rims and tires have been a confusing mess in cycling, since forever. Which is why, I think they should move away from arbitrary inch measurements like 26" and 29", and move to ERD.

I don't think most people are so concerned about their rim size they need to memorize it with accuracy down to the millimeter. I like nice even numbers.

Just call it the 'right stuff', cause the other two sizes will fade into the sunset. This wheelsize is just what the industry needs and will spawn a huge bulge in some of the most profitable areas in cycling (tries & wheels). New frame designs will abound, plus the fact that you can retro fit them to 26er frames is a boon. It will be fun next season. Wait till the DHers get 650b going.

It would make much more sense to describe wheels with the rim size, because the tire diameter fluctucates so much due to tire size. 559mm, 584mm, and 622mm. Or even rounding to 56cm, 58cm, and 62cm. It may be too late for that.

I think 27.5" is stupid. Doesn't sound good, and makes people think that the rim size exactly splits the difference between 26" + 29", when it is really much closer to 26".

Totally don't get that or agree. For over 20 years, the industry has dubbed the "regular" wheel size as 26" which is the outside diameter of the wheel with tire mounted and inflated measured in inches. Same with 29" for over 10 years. Nobody gave or gives a damn that certain tires make the wheels slightly taller or slighly shorter than the demonination.

Now we have the in bewtween size, and people arguing that by using IDO/bsd metric measurements ( which NOBODY f'ing gets and which compares imperial apples to metric ISO oranges) the new wheel is closer to 26" than 29".

I say B.S. I have 4 "650b" wheels , different tire brands, different widths mounted on different rims. They all measure close to exactly 27.5 inches using a level and a yardstick.

This is a Neomoto 2.1 mounted on a WTB Laser Disc Trail rim.

Why confuse the public? It is MUCH simpler and NOT inaccurate to to market the wheel as exactly halfway between 26" and 29", comparing apples to apples: OD measured in inches with tire mounted and inflated.

Getting all metric and ISO is a bunch of meaningless insider sounding technical jargon AFAIC, and all it will do is confuse and mislead consumers and inhibit the acceptance of the middle wheel size.

Just say 27.5" - halfway between 26" and 29" - and be DONE with it.

Old enough to know better. And old enough not to care. Best age to be.

I spoke with a Specialized sales rep last week and he said they might have a tire next year, and the soonest they'll have a bike is 2014 or 2015. He said they wished they hadn't continued with many of their current 26ers, and they wished they had pursued 650b for those equivalent models instead.

If this is true....well then....crap. I was kinda hoping big S was throwing up a smoke screen and was going to dazzle us in 2013. Even though I secretly suspected that they would do what they did w/29ers -- wait & see what the market does before jumping in w/both feet.

Here in the midwest it's easy to get a bike from your LBS as long as you want Specialized or Giant* ("we play both kinds of music -- country AND western"). Now my hopes of an HL 650b-specific trail bike lie solely on Norco. The good news is that the closest Norco dealer is only 700+ miles away.....

*I know I can get other bikes here in the midwest...it was an attempt at humor. How does that saying go? If you have to explain it....